Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela has admitted the system head coach Jose Riveiro has implemented should be credited for the immediate impact of Kermit Erasmus and Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo.
The deadline day signings have come into the side with aplomb and look at home in the starting line-up already softening the absences of key players Vincent Pule and Thembinkosi Lorch in recent weeks.
Having eliminated Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg MTN8 semi-final with an emphatic 3-0 win, both players played key roles alongside the talk-of-the-town Monnapule Saleng and Maela suggests their roles are clear as soon as they enter the pitch.
“I think the structure the coach has created [has helped Ndlondlo and Erasmus], everyone knows their role, everyone knows what is expected of them,” Maela said ahead of the Soweto derby.
“Regardless of who’s playing, you’ve been given the tools and guidelines to go out there and perform and it’s been working, so far so good.”
The difference between last season and this season is evident from the outside with some dynamic displays and structural improvements but the skipper feels it would be unfair to pin-point what exactly has been the biggest contributing factor.
“When you look at the squads, it’s two different squads, this season was a fresh start, a new coach, a new technical team, I think this season we’ve been together, we’ve been united, we are very ambitious and it’s working for us.
“It would be unfair to compare last season and this season as if everyone last season was still here, so as I’m saying, it’s the fresh start, new coach, and technical team – we’re heading in the right direction.”
Pirates host Chiefs for the first derby between the two Soweto giants since the Covid-19 pandemic, on Saturday afternoon at FNB Stadium (15h30).
